Alexander Bröms: “We’re going to Denmark to win games”

ÖEHV: Hi Alexander! About three weeks ago, the women's national team held its second-to-last camp in Klagenfurt ahead of the historic Top Division World Championship in Denmark. What were your impressions of the team?

Alexander Bröms: I think we had four really productive days as a group. We deliberately brought in a few more players than usual to get the fullest possible picture of the team, and that helped us a lot when it came to finalizing the World Championship roster.

The roster has now been announced. What were you looking for when you put it together?

We were looking for players who can handle the pace and intensity of a Top Division World Championship and make a real difference on the ice. But a great roster is about more than the 25 best individual players – it has to come together as a team. So for every player, we asked ourselves what role she could take on and how that would help the group. In the end, there were some really tough calls to make.

The new sporting director, Gina Kingsbury, must have played a big part in the roster selection. What has she brought to the team so far?

You can tell right away that Gina brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and as a sporting director. She's been involved in every area from day one, and her positive energy has given the team a real boost. On top of that, she knows how to bring people together and solve problems as a group. This will be a huge help to us in Denmark.

You mentioned Denmark. From November 6 to 16, Austria will play at the women's Top Division World Championship for the first time ever. How excited are you personally?

I've been coaching the women's national team for four years now, and from the moment I arrived, our big goal was to get promoted to the Top Division. We got there through hard work. Now we want to show that we belong on the ice with the best teams in the world. And one thing is clear: we're going to Denmark to win games.

Before that, the team meets in Villach from October 30 to November 4 for its final preparations. What will you be focusing on as a coach?

First, we want to run through our playbook as often as possible and find the right chemistry within the lines. Second, it's our last chance as a staff to make a few small adjustments. We know we've drawn a tough group, which is exactly why we want to leave Villach fully prepared – there can't be any surprises once we get to Denmark.

The group includes some of the world's top nations: Czechia, the USA, Germany and Switzerland. Can you share your thoughts on each opponent?

Czechia has a good team that builds its game around puck possession. They've been knocking on the door of a bronze medal for the past few years, so it'll be interesting to see whether they've taken the next step. I don't think the USA needs much of an introduction – they won Olympic gold in Milan this year. Against them, the key will be keeping up with their speed. We've played Germany quite a bit recently and have pretty much always been on an even level with them. In games like that, you have to be fully switched on as a team and be clinical with your chances. Although we've never played against Switzerland before, we know what they're good at. In the end, whether we achieve our goals comes down to us.

Speaking of goals: the top four advance to the quarterfinals, while fifth place plays the other group’s fifth-place team to avoid relegation. What would make this tournament a success for you?

For now, our full focus is on the group stage. We want to find a way to the quarterfinal. We'll think about everything else once we get there.